War Is Hell, Afghanistan Is Worse

The masking cliches have been bombarding us during the past week. Ever since the latest disaster in Afghanistan and its grim timing during the Vimy memorializations, cringe-making cliches have been pouring out of the mouths of politicians, military brass, media types and -- because the words have become molecules in the very air they breathe -- those who knew the eight young men killed last week. We have heard endlessly about "the fallen" (and its variation, "fallen heroes"), a quaint phrase informed by Victorian imagery instead of modern reality -- in this case, unwitting targets in a vehicle blown up by an unseen device set by unseen enemies. Martial mythology notwithstanding, the "fallen" in Afghanistan have mostly been unfortunate victims. And while some may indeed have been heroic young men (or "great, great Canadian soldiers," according to one officer), the incident that took their lives resounded less with heroism and great Canadianness than with terrible tragic timing. Justifications for war, particularly catastrophic ones, are often embroidered with empty phrases that ring with an authoritative and stoic nobility. In the Canadian disaster that is the current mission, they're all about "the price of freedom," "firm resolve" to do "the job," and "making a difference" to the people of that ancient, sad place. "If we stop everything and we don't focus on the job that has to be done over there," said Col. Ryan Jestin, commander of the Gagetown base, "the Taliban will have won." http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=2d5659df-a7a9-4f32-be3a-00d21af2f07e&p=1

Note: http://www.canada.com/o...